What do i do with a dead coral???

[Danwaddy]

Hi everyone.

From a previous post I received help, and we established that whilst i couldn't get a name for my type of coral. It was in actual fact dying and is now dead. The bright yellow polyps that once came from it are now flying around in the tank after my attemps to clean it in the wash of my power head.

Now, I know its dead....but what do i do with it?

• Is it any use in the tank dead?

• Could it be helpful in side my canister filter as it would create such a large surface area for growth?

• Or should i just throw it away?

Whats your thoughts?

Regards
Dan

 

[Frankie]

Hey Dan, what type of coral are we talking about here?
I use to keep SPS and when I lost one I would crush it up and add it to my calcium reactor. A few I kept on a shelf because I liked the way they looked dead.

 

[Danwaddy]

http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/aquarium-corals/49813-fungus-my-coral.html

Hi Frankie, unfortunatly i couldn't get anyone to confirm what it was. The link above goes to the original post i made which has pictures attached.

 

[Varga]

I'd keep that in the tank and let it turn to live rock.

 

[Danwaddy]

I'd keep that in the tank and let it turn to live rock.

Thanks Varga. will it not damage the tank in any way? Is it not decaying at the minute?

 

[teacampuzano]

i'd be careful leaving dead coral because it might start another mini cycle raising your ammonia and nitrate/nitrite up. Afterall, it's dying. I'd just keep checking your water parameters for ammonia.

 

[Danwaddy]

Thats what i thought teacampuzano but i just thought i'd confirm. So should i take it out and throw it in the bin????

 

[WatchinFish]

take it out and let it dry ouside till it decays. then boil it and wash it then throw it back in to colect bacteria and turn into live rock. no point in throwing away live rock

 

[Danwaddy]

Thanks WatchinFish

Can anyone else confirm that? Just so I know i'm doing the right thing and not going to unsettle my settled readings.

 

[WatchinFish]

no prob.

 

[WatchinFish]

Thanks WatchinFish

unsettle my settled readings.

:LOL: that sounds funny to me. lol i guess the 3:47am delirium isnt helping me out. damn insomnia:hammerhea

 

[Danwaddy]

hahaha. I'm sat at work its 2pm here.

 

[WatchinFish]

oh man i didnt notice your location.

 

[seafansar]

If all the tissue is gone, just leave it in the tank as live rock. If there's still decaying tissue, clean that off with a brush and it should be fine to put back in. It looked to be similar to a brain coral. I've seen one slowly die off and it was just left in the tank and didn't cause any problems. Now it's just used as rock.

 

[teacampuzano]

Thats what i thought teacampuzano but i just thought i'd confirm. So should i take it out and throw it in the bin????

If you can i'd transfer it to another container where the debris-ammonia can be eliminated. I know some people leave it out in the sun for months until it can be used as live rock. Like others have said, i wouldn't throw away live rock, but i'd be worried about ammonia. Good luck!

 

[Frankie]

Just to clarify the ID it appears you had a Porites_branneri or some other type of Porites.
I would leave it for rock or crush it up into a reactor as I stated before.